Strangers Open Wallets

Every day she cares for the grandson who was born just weeks before his mother expired from a violent attack. Dyke changes his diaper, feeds and kisses him.

Now, she tells him about the outpouring of support from people touched by her story and the story of Julius, who turns 17 in January. That community of strangers provided her with about $5,400 in a week.

"I tell him the world is still full of wonderful people and so many care for him and love him and they never met him and don't know him," said Dyke, 54.

In January 1993, Margaret Dyke's daughter, Lisa, 18, was eight months pregnant when she was stabbed by an acquaintance in Wilton Manors. Two days after the vicious attack, Julius was born with brain damage and cerebral palsy, unable to walk, talk or feed himself, and prone to seizures. Doctors say the stabbing cut off oxygen to the fetus.

Lisa Dyke died three weeks later. Her killer, Ronnie Keith Williams, is on Death Row at Union Correctional Institution near Jacksonville.

Margaret Dyke, who refuses to send Julius to a nursing home, said she barely gets by. She gets a Section 8 government voucher for her rental house in Fort Lauderdale, and Medicaid provides an in-home aide. The agency wants to cut the aide's weekend hours, and Dyke is appealing to the state, saying those 12 hours give her time to sleep and work as a hotel singer to earn money for her household.

After Dyke's story appeared in the South Florida Sun Sentinel three days before Christmas, 13 readers sent her envelopes stuffed with checks, gift certificates and wads of cash. She has received $5,410, in donations ranging from $50 to $2,000.

She plans to spend the money on her hefty bills for the electricity that powers the machines Julius uses, and items like Tylenol, toothpaste and the disposable electric toothbrush that suctions mucus from his mouth.

One of the contributors was Coral Springs resident Tanya Hall, whose family owns a decorative fountain business. She wrote a check to Dyke for $1,000.

"I just felt a need to help her," Hall said. "I know how hard it is to try to make ends meet."

And there was Janet Strom, of Fort Lauderdale, who sent $100.

"It was from one loving grandmother to another," Strom said. "My heart just ached for her. I don't have a lot of money, but she needs it because of the grandson."

Steve Warner sent Dyke $500 on behalf of the Knights of Columbus Council 13118 in Fort Lauderdale.

"It's such a touching mix of tragedy and hope," he said. "Here's a woman who has had her daughter taken from her in the most violent, gruesome way and then this beautiful gift of life, Julius, brought to her.

"When I spoke to her, there was not a bit of sadness and despair in her voice," Warner said.

"She considers herself blessed and she's in this predicament. There are thousands of tragic stories every day and we don't always do anything because we feel so overwhelmed. It just hit us - here is something we can do."

Dyke is enormously grateful.

"The economy is so rough and times are so hard and they are still making a call?" Dyke said. "I will never forget any of these people as long as I live. They are my saviors. God used them as my saviors."

Lisa J. Huriash can be reached at lhuriash@sunsentinel.com or 954-572-2008.